Behind the Pretties
by cookieintraining
Summary: err. stuff. yeaaah.


Author's note: Urrm. Newbie. so yeah. an original, i guess.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

"NO!"

"Come to us, pretty-pretty,"

"Leave me ALONE!"

"Come to us…"

"NO!"

The dark shadowed room lit up in red flaming glare. _Wait, what just happened?_ The flame came out from her bare body simply covered by a lacey white nightdress. She woke up in utter shock; grasping for air, her body cold and sweaty. She took hold of my great grandmother's necklace: An antique solid platinum chain with a huge blue sapphire stone pendant, a beauty, indeed. It was given to her when her mother, Flora Raar, was said to be murdered. She stared at it, it was glowing. She shook it away, closed her eyes and put on her white Lady GaGa HeartBeats earphones. Music calmed her; she sank into another dream as her iPod lull her to sleep.

Who is she?

"_My name is Tiara Raar. I am a spitting younger image of my mother, but instead of red ringlets, I have straight light brown hair instead. I still have her ice blue eyes though. When I was 2, my mother was said to be murdered by a dark power surrounding the small town. Due to being the only child and heiress to the Raar Empire, ran by Mother, I was sent to Partchie, a small town in England, a request from my mother. Eighteen and I will return back and handle the Raar Empire to continue my mother's work. Two more years and I'm good to go."_

Light was shimmering on her eyelids. She opened them to find that the night has gone. She straightened herself up, walked to her bathroom and took a quick shower. _Today is a new day. _She put on a floral printed white top paired with a denim mini skirt. Putting her hair down, She took her iPod, Blackberry and some money, stuffing £50 and a personalized Blackberry in her back pocket. She walked out the door and onto the streets of her hometown since she was 2. Her chauffer, nanny and butler were outside the living room, discussing world's politics. Ignoring them, she walked right into her favourite bookstore, Charlie's.

Her slim, pale-tanned figure reflected the glass window of the bookstore. Her blue sapphire necklace was hanging from her neck, strikingly beautiful. She went to the bookshelves when a stranger stumbled into her. "Ouh! Sorry!" Tiara apologized immediately, a force of habit. As she was just about to hit the ground, her necklace fell off of her, the stone glowed.

_Wait, where am I? _Tiara thought as she was back on her feet, at a cemetery, all dark and gray. She walked around, the gravel on the path made sounds that echoed to her ears. A cold chill ran down her spine and she jerked, turned around. A lady in a cloak was 3 metres away from her, holding out a dead rose. She was pale, an unfamiliar face. Her red lips curled up into a smile, "Come to us…" she whispered in a deep harsh voice. Tiara's breathing got heavier. "Who…Who are you?" she stuttered, knees trembling. "Come to us…" she took a step forward, the same deep voiced whisper came out of her full red lips. Her blood red Garnett stone pendant glowed and in the nick of time, she flew to Tiara Raar and attacked.

Tiara gasped, she was back on the wooden floorboards of Charlie's Bookstore. Pain was suddenly biting her left ankle as she felt that her necklace wasn't around her neck. "Are you groping your own boobs? Because my cousin would pay to watch that," a handsome and intriguing 17 year old guy got on one knee in front of her; dirty blond hair, beautiful chocolate brown eyes and a warm smile. "No! God! Go away!" Tiara barked him off, feeling intimidated. Her cheeks were flush; she stood up and unsteadily tried to walk out of the bookstore.

"I'm Jake. What's your name?" he introduced himself, effortlessly catching up with her.  
"Tiara. Now, go away!"  
"Tiara, let me help you. You can't possibly walk like that."  
"Watch me," she answered sharply, trying hard not to limp as the pain was just setting in.  
He sighed. "Come on, I'll walk you," he took Tiara's hand and swung her gently onto his back.  
"Put me down, Jake. I mean it!"  
"Chill. So, going home?"  
"No! Put me down!"  
"You can't walk."  
"I don't flipping care! Now put me down!" furious and flushed, Tiara yelled. He gave up and put her down.  
"Fine, then. Walk," he ordered.  
"With pleasure!" Tiara stood straight and stumbled off; resulting cries of agony.

"Told you," he smirked as he picked her up and put her on his back. Tiara wiped her tears on his shoulder blade and rested her head there in comfort. He was quite tall. "Don't cry now, I'm sorry..." he trailed off. He walked Tiara to the lake where people were strolling around, hanging out. He sat her down on the grass and sat down next to her. "Your ankle's not that bad. It'd be okay in an hour or two," he said, breaking the silence between the two. "How'd you know?" she questioned, doubtingly. "Dad's a doctor." "Oh."

"Oh and you dropped this," he said as he handed her the necklace. "Thanks," she said meekly. The blue sapphire stone pendant glowed. It had been doing that a lot lately. Tiara shivered a bit just watching it do that. He put the necklace around her neck. She rubbed the beautiful glowing pendant and looked up to the lake. Jake looked hesitant for a second there. "Look, I'm sorry for err... the ankle," he quickly apologized, staring straight into Tiara's sapphire blue eyes. _Wow, didn't see that coming._ "It's alright, I guess. This always happens to me."

"Urrm, I'm having a party tonight at my place. My cousin and her mate from the States just arrived yesterday and my parents insisted on a party," he raised an eyebrow. _Did he just invite me to a party?_ "Err maybe, I don't know. We'll see if my ankle gets better in time." _Oh, hell yeah I'm going!_ "Maybe not..." I trailed off. _Come on, talk me back into it._ "Come on, it'll be fun. I have some mates coming over. Well, a lot but yeah. Just come. Here's the address. It's near the grocers," he said as he wrote down his address and phone number onto her palm_. Yesss! Result! _"Oh cool, I know where that is." _Yayerrs! Hahaah!  
_  
After a little while, Jake walked her back home: On his back, of course. "This is some house," he blinked at the Raar home as he put her down. "Mm… Kay I'll see you tonight Jake..err..." Obviously she wanted to know his last name. "Sinclair. Jake Sinclair," he smiled that heart-melting smile. Tiara smiled back and tried to reach for the door when Sebastian, the butler opened the door. "Miss Raar," he nodded. "I see you have company," Sebastian half smiled. "Gotta go now, Tiara Raar. See you later. Bye," Jake said as he backed away with his hands in his pockets and nodded at Sebastian. He walked around the corner of the street and disappeared.

"Handsome chap. A special friend of yours, Miss Raar?" Sebastian teased. "Don't start with me, Sebastian," Tiara smiled as she limped inside the house. "Good God, Miss, what happened to you?" Sebastian's concerned was obvious. "The 'chap' stumbled into me while I was at Charlie's and I fell. Some ice, please? And where's Carla?" Tiara crashed onto the sofa and rested her ankle on the sofa arm. "Right away, ma'am," he walked to the kitchen. _Oh, God. What am I gonna wear?_ Carla, the nanny, came in wearing her tracksuit with her red messy hair up. "Sweetie, whaaat happened?" she asked with her arms wide opened to give Tiara a hug. "Fell. The usual. It'd be better before dinner," Tiara shrugged. "Aw you. Now where's Sebastian with the ice? Sebastian~" her loud nazel voice carried throughout the room. "Coming, I'm coming," Sebastian walked in with a bag of ice and handed it to Carla.

"Here, sweetie," Carla said as she placed it onto Tiara's ankle. "So Carla, I met this cute boy at Charlie's," Tiara started. "His name is Jake Sinclair," She smiled at the thought of him. "Really? What's he like?" Carla full-on interested, she always has when it came to boys. "He has scruffy dirty blond hair, and his eyes are pretty chocolatey brown," She described him. "Ooh I love that. How old is he?" she asked, grabbing Tiara's hands. "He looks 17. He said he's in year 11." "Passed," she gave Tiara her nanny-approved look. "So how tall is he?" she started again. "He's quite tall, actually. About 6'2 maybe," Tiara pursed her lips. "Does he have an older brother? You know, about my age?" Carla elbowed her. "Ooh, tough luck, Carla. He's an only child," Tiara pointed her tongue at Carla. Carla crinkled her nose and shook her head. "Aw well."

"No thanks, Sebastian. I don't think I'll have dinner tonight," Tiara stood up, able to walk now. "Why not?" Carla asked, chewing through her croissant. "Well, to tell you the truth, I actually wanted to go to a party. Jake invited me," She played with her fingers. "Why didn't you say so? Aw honey what're you gonna wear?" Carla gasped. "Want me to drive you, Miss?" offered Hummer, the chauffeur. Suited because one of the cars he drive is Tiara's yellow hummer H2. "Urm. Yeah, it's near the grocers. Here," She passed him the address she rewrote on a fresh piece of sticky note. "I know this place. It's my doctor Sinclair's house: Near the grocers. And a very convenient 7-11 at the end for the street," he nodded. "Alright cool! Carla, help me do my hair?" Tiara helplessly asked. "Sure, sweetheart. Come on," she grabbed Tiara by the hand and ran upstairs.

Tiara settled with a sequined white dress-top and a tiny loose unbuttoned black lace vest. She wore a denim miniskirt paired with her Vans sneakers. She put on her great grandmother's necklace and a thin loose silver bracelet on her right wrist. Carla curled her long straight light brown locks. "You look like a brunette Taylor swift. Not bad," Carla complimenting herself rather than Tiara. "Belly ring?" Carla offered a blue diamond one and a simple silver stud. "Blue one," she took the one from Carla and put it on under her top. "Cool. You're good to go," she smiled. Tiara smiled back, took her iPod, some money and her Blackberry and headed downstairs. "WAIT!" Carla's voice rung in Tiara's head, giving her a mini heart attack. "Lip gloss, dear. Here," she smothered on Tiara's favorite lip gloss and smiled again.

"When'll you be back, Miss Raar?" Hummer asked from the rearview mirror. "I'll call or I'll just walk home, Hummer," She answered. "Alright, we're here. Have fun, Miss. Just call if anything happens, we'll be there in 5 minutes. Remember, our text code for emergencies, 555. I'm on speed dial number 2, Carla number 1, Sebastian number 3, emergency hotline, 911, remember," he gave her a run of "in case of emergencies" talk again as he passed her the house pass card key. "Yes, Hummer," she gave him a sweet smile. He nodded and watched Tiara get into the house then drove away.

"Tiara, you made it!" Jake seemed surprised and glad. He was handsome in a tight fitted gray shirt and dark straight cut jeans. _And are those red sneakers?_ Apparently he likes to make a statement. His hair was tousled neatly and his front hair was just slightly above his left eye. "Yeah, I'm glad I did," she hugged him a bit and smiled shyly. _Like, REALLY glad I did._ The music was pumping the air and people were talking and dancing and snacking.

A hard faced blonde and a pinched faced red head both pretty but trying too hard for Tiara's standard of physical appearance came near Jake and the blonde with boobs the size of a toddler's head _(make that two)_ starts flirting with him. _Haah, he has a girlfriend. Of course. It's cool, I'm fine._ "Jakey, we want some bubbly," she pouted as she played with a strand of his hair. "Hold on, Carlie," Jake replied without even bother looking at what's-her-face. "But Jakey... No bubbly means no fun..." she pouted again. Her American accent imitation was pretty good, Tiara have to admit. Jake sighed and smiled at Carlie. "Hold on for minute. I'll go to the cabinets and you just wait. I'll be right back, Tiara. Oh and meet Carlie and Serena," he introduced them and left.

"Hi, I'm Tiara," she smiled at Jake's girlfriend and her friend.  
"Serena," the red head smiled that mean-girls smile.  
"Carlie, uh, Jakey's favorite girl." _The boob enhancing formula guinea pig can apparently speak properly. Brava.  
_"Oh, nice to meet you, Carlie, Serena."_ No, not really._  
"So, Tiara, are you the girl my Jakey found? He really pitied you when he invited you here to the party," Carlie spoke.  
"Really? That's what he told you?" Tiara felt smacked across the face  
"Oh, he didn't even have to say it! He just pitied you. He felt so bad. Shame, shame, what happened," Carlie shook her head, pinch faced Serene seemed to back Carlie up.  
"He didn't say that. He wouldn't," Tiara argued, feeling a bit defensive about it.  
"He really did. What you think he invited you for no reason?"  
Tiara shook her head.

"Hey, got your bubbly right here, ladies," Jake came back with a bottle of Scotch and a pack of beer. "So what were you girls talking about?" he smiled as he put down the drinks. "Tiara?" he raised an eyebrow at her, and she felt just like she got smacked. Carlie seemed to panic. "She's just..." "Leaving," she cut blondie off. She turned her back on them and marched straight to the door, passing through a Beer Pong tournament and the dance floor; out the door. "Wait! Carlie! What did you guys say to her?" Jake ran after Tiara out in the lit street. Tiara walked fast heading to the lake, avoiding Jake. _That stupid jerk! How could he? How dare he? Tiara Raar? Pitied? Haah! A Raar descendant being pitied over a twisted ankle. By men? By stranger men? No way. No frigging possible way._

"Tiara!" Jake's voice wasn't far away behind. Tiara got to the lake, the stores, restaurants and coffee shops lit the whole surrounding. She got several hoots from men but she ignored them like nothing happened. Tiara turned up the volume of her iPod, ignoring Jake. The next thing she knew, he was right there beside her, walking along. She didn't look at him until they reached the park, people were gawking at them.

She sat on the grass, still refusing to talk to him. She did turn down the volume though, in case he wanted to say something she could pretend not to hear. "I know you're listening, Tiara. So do answer me," he silently said. "You don't know that," she replied. "What's wrong Tiara? Did I say something wrong?" "Why don't you ask your favorite girl that while I go get pitied by my minor accident prone self!" Tiara yelled as she harshly pulled off her Lady Gaga HeartBeats earphones. "What? What are you talking about?" he was dumbfounded. _He sure can act._ "Your girlfriend, CARLIE~ Your mean favorite booby blondie girlfriend and her super sidekick pinched-face Serena?" she yelled again, angry by his reaction. From the grass, she threw little pebbles into the lake as hard and as far as she could. "You mean my COUSIN Carlie? And her mate, Serena?" his forehead creased as he redefined the titles of Carlie. "Cousin? What the bloody hell?" now, Tiara was dumbstruck. "She's my cousin. The one that just came from the states yesterday that I told you about?" he slowly explained, looking straight into her furious ice cold blue eyes. "Honestly, Tiara. What did you think?" he said as he wiped his forehead.

Tiara decided to keep quiet about what Carlie said earlier. "She told me you invited me because you PITY me!" _Or not._ "What? She said that? But I invited you because..." he trailed off. "Because..?" she asked, not about to let him get away with it. "Well, because I like you. I thought _'Why not give it a shot? She's pretty, she's weird,'_" he chuckled softly. Tiara could feel her cheeks burning. _Good God_. They both looked up to the full moon over the lake_. Awkward silence, here we go again._ "The moon's pretty tonight," she said, trying to get rid of the awkwardness. "Yes, very pretty," he wasn't exactly looking at the moon. He was staring at Tiara with a dreamy look on his face.

"I didn't get to dance with you," Jake mentioned.

"Oh, sorry." _He wants to dance. With me!_

"We could dance right now," Tiara stood up, wiping her hands on her skirt.

"What? But there's no music," he smiled, amused.

"iPod. Always carry them around. Force of habit," she smiled.

She unplugged her earphones and played the song, Perfect Two by Auburn. The song filled the air. Tiara held out her hand, smiling at Jake. He took his hand, she pulled him up. Tiara put her hands on his shoulders and let him put his hands on her waist. They moved a bit.

"Step on my toes." He said.  
"What? No, I didn't!" _I really didn't._  
"No, I mean, stand on my feet," he explained.  
"Oh, urm.. Okay." She stood on his feet and he started to dance. He moved his feet around and they were in sync. He put one of her hands up and twirled her. He smiled and revealed that perfect white rows of pearls. _God he's gorgeous!_ Tiara couldn't help but smile and shy away all the time especially after he twirled her.

The song ended and he was still holding her. "That was...nice," she told him. She looked away, a bit shy from the little dance. "Urm, hey, we should go back to the party," Jake said, pulling away but still holding her hand. Tiara nodded, grabbed her iPod and put it back into her pocket. They walked back to his house, hand in hand, enjoying each other's company. In no time at all, they were back at the party.

"Jake, my man," a friend of Jake's approached them, shaking his hand. "What up, Chris?" Jake smiled. "Your cousin is woot!" Chris said, making signs emphasizing the chest. "Dude, she's my cousin. Save it for Brian," he chuckled and shook his head, as if trying to get rid of the thought. Carlie and Serena were at the snack table, flirting with a few guys. "Carlie," Serena nudged. "Carlie!" she nudged again, but louder. "What?" "Jake. He's with that girl again," her eyes fixed at their direction. Carlie followed her eyes and saw Jake with Tiara holding hands. "I thought I got rid of you, bitch," Carlie silently whispered.

Meanwhile Jake asked Tiara to play Beer Pong with him. She smile shyly and refused. "Chicken?" Jake teased as he started making chicken noises. "Bring it on," she put on her game face. "That's more like it," he smirked. "Beer Pong! Tiara, serve!" Chris announced to the crowd surrounding the ping pong table with beer glasses on it.

Sounds of Oh! and No! can be heard from the table in the loud atmosphere. "Game goes to Tiara. Jake, you lost to a girl," Chris announced. Tiara raised her hand; squirming with joy. "Beat you at your own game," she whispered in his ear and winked. Jake smiled, _She is something_. "Anyone wanna play 7 minutes in heaven?" a red head lad in jeans said, holding two hats with a bunch of numbers in them. Some went to join in the fun and sat down on the carpeted floor in front of a walk-in closet. Jake and Tiara both got a number from different hats, for guys and for girls. "Aight, go on, Jake. You get to go first," the red head smirked.

He stood up in the middle of the circle. "29," he announced. They all looked around, Tiara looked did too until a girl pointed at Tiara's piece of paper and told them that Tiara's number was 29. "No, my number's 65," she argued. The red head in jeans came next to Tiara, taking the number from her. "No, no. That's a 29," he nodded. Tiara took a deep breath, stood up and held Jake's hand on the way in. They walked in as 30 pairs of eyes witnessed them. They closed the door behind them; it was lit by the opened cracks of the door.

"Err, should we kiss?" Jake interrupted.

"Urmm, yeah. Sure, why not?" Tiara felt a bit anxious.

"Then… err. I should… urm. Yeah," Tiara gave up and wiped her clean hands on her denim skirt.

She looked up and Jake surprisingly kissed her, a long, soft kiss on the lips.

"Wow. Urm, that was…unexpected," she said as she wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

"Yeah, unbelievable," Jake looked blank. He kissed her again gently. She pulled away and smiled. She looked fine for a second but then her eyes rolled back and she was out cold, almost slipping out of his arms.


End file.
